Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to bowl first in his first match as India’s ODI captain, as nine changes swept through both sides for the fourth ODI against New Zealand at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. India lead the five-match series 2-0, and a win would seal the series with a match to spare.
Iyer takes charge with regular captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Anshul Kamboj all moving to the Test camp to prepare for the two-Test series starting on November 19 in Wellington. Iyer, who was Gill’s deputy for the first three ODIs, leads a side with three changes: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan and Kuldeep Yadav come in, with Kishan named vice-captain and taking the wicketkeeping gloves.
New Zealand made six changes for a match they must win to stay alive in the series. Nick Kelly, Dean Foxcroft, Finn Allen, Kristian Clarke, Michael Bracewell and Matt Henry all come into the XI, with Henry returning after his concussion scare. Mitchell Santner continues to captain the home side, which is also without several Test regulars — Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Nathan Smith and Jacob Duffy have all been rested from the ODI squad with the Test series in mind. The changes underline how both teams are using the final two ODIs to blood new faces while their Test players prepare for the red-ball series.
India: Rohit Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Kuldeep Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh. New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wicketkeeper), Will Young, Nick Kelly, Dean Foxcroft, Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Matthew Fisher.
India won the first two ODIs before rain washed out the third in Hamilton without a ball bowled, and the forecast for Mount Maunganui is clear, with no rain expected and a full 50-over contest on the cards. Iyer said India would treat the final two matches as knockout games, and a win here would also give India their first ODI series win in New Zealand in seven years. The fifth and final ODI is at the same venue on Sunday, November 15.
The match is the first of two at Bay Oval this week, and India have not won an ODI series in New Zealand since 2019. Victory here would end that wait with a game to spare — and hand Iyer a series win in his very first match as ODI captain.
Related:
- Iyer Takes Charge as India Eye Series Win in Fourth ODI Against New Zealand at Bay Oval — https://t20star.com/iyer-takes-charge-as-india-eye-series-win-in-fourth-odi-against-new-zealand-at-bay-oval/
- Rishabh Pant Cleared Fit, Set to Fly to New Zealand Within 24 Hours for Test Series — https://t20star.com/rishabh-pant-cleared-fit-set-to-fly-to-new-zealand-within-24-hours-for-test-series/
